Instead of a lecture delivered from the podium of Social Sciences 100, carnivorous robots and sledgehammer violence ruled the stage Friday night.
Members of the UA Blue Chip Leadership Phase 4 Arts team raised more than $800 for Mission Manor Elementary School at the comedy performance of “”Who Fed the Magic Box?”” at the Social Sciences building.
Katie Taylor, a political science senior and member of the Blue Chip organization, said she and the other six members of the Blue Chip team were excited with the results of the event.
“”I’d say it was a success,”” Taylor said. “”This was our first opportunity to plan an event like this, and it went well.””
The Blue Chip group teamed with Comedy Corner and Stories that Soar!, a nonprofit organization that promotes literacy and art education among children, to put on a show for the roughly 80 people who bought tickets.
Taylor said not everyone who bought a ticket showed up, but at least their money will still contribute to helping children.
“”We hoped for more people. We don’t have that name recognition yet, but any money we raised is going to a great cause,”” Taylor said.
Jessica Samoy, a theatre arts senior, member of the Blue Chip group, stage manager for Stories that Soar! and member of Comedy Corner, also said the event was a success.
“”This was our first attempt at a show like this and it went pretty good,”” Samoy said. “”It was interesting doing a show that’s normally for kids and perform it in an adult way.””
The 80-minute-long show opened with Comedy Corner, which performed a 30 to 40 minute improvisational comedy routine. Audience members suggested wacky scenarios and imaginary props to aide the actors in the humorous skits.
One skit involved two of the 12-member group acting like drill sergeants as they harassed their subordinates. If the one being yelled at laughed at all, he or she was eliminated until the next skit.
Another comical routine was the game called “”Forward, Reverse.”” This game called for a group of three people to perform a skit and a different member would say “”reverse,”” which required the other comedians to act out the same scene backward.
After Comedy Corner, Stories that Soar! opened with the only childlike story of the evening. The remaining eight pieces, although seven of them were written by children, were more gritty, highlighted by comic violence and vulgarity.
Samoy said they used the children’s words from the play ideas, but played off of the innuendoes that were already there. Luke Mills submitted the lone story by a non-elementary school-aged child, although the specific skit was not mentioned.
One skit involved a robotic cleaning machine that devoured the family dog as well as one man’s hand. Another had two actresses running around like chickens with their heads cut off until one person killed them by popping their balloon heads with a sledgehammer.
The event concluded with a drawing for prizes – free haircuts, jewelry and the grand prize, a $30 gift certificate to Best Buy.
“”We’re just a small group of seniors, but we’re making a big change in the community,”” Taylor said. “”We’re just happy to do our part.””